URGENT issue! iChat crashes/doesn’t function properly with vanilla.catalog

I had an issue pointed out to me recently where you can launch iChat but when you try to message someone, it sends the message, doesn't show their name or that you sent it, but they still receive it. After that, iChat promptly crashes and refuses to open again. I built an image using the install CD + the vanilla.catalog file from the repo and it still did this. I'm currently building an image with just the install CD and 10.5.7 to see if a specific update breaks this. Anyone else ever run into this? iChat opens fine, but if you add an AIM account and try to message, it starts crashing. Thanks! Nate :(